Time has come for Moyes to bring in new blood just like his '06 revolution

The anniversary came and went with barely a mention made; David Moyes reached 11 years in charge of Everton on Thursday but there was no cause for celebration.

It has been a difficult week on the Blue half of Merseyside following last Saturday’s capitulation against Wigan Athletic. That another year will pass without the trophy cabinet being opened has led to a significant swing in the mood of supporters.

There was no appetite to mark milestones, regardless of how worthy the achievement. Being dismantled 3-0 at home in a game Everton were expected to win has led to questions being asked and accusations being levelled. Twitter has been awash with fans venting their spleens.

Despondent: Everton suffered a humiliating loss to Wigan in the FA Cup

Moyes, out of contract in June, has come under fire from some who feel his tenure has run its course; the board have been chastised for failing to invest in January, while Phil Neville has been harangued for, among other things, not speaking as an Everton captain should.

When Neville gave an interview to Sky Sports at Lancashire Cricket Club on Monday, 48 hours after the calamitous FA Cup quarter-final, it was widely interpreted he suggested Everton should be satisfied with finishing in the top 10. That wasn’t the case.

‘I made some comment during the week about top 10 finishes being fantastic for Everton,’ said Neville, writing in his programme notes ahead of tomorrow’s visit from Manchester City. ‘My comments have been misconstrued.

‘I was trying to compare where Everton are now to where the club was 10 years ago but it didn't come out right. Anyone who knows me, knows full well that 'top 10' isn't good enough for me – and the tweets I received made sure I was aware of how the comments had been taken.

Example? Phil Nevile's comments have been taken badly by loyal Everton supporters

‘Evertonians quite rightly have high standards for themselves – and for their team – and I can assure you that mine are just as high.’

Some will regard his explanation as piffle but he does make a salient point. In the decade before Moyes arrived at Goodison Park – bar 18 months of great promise under Joe Royle – Everton spent most of their time trying to keep their heads above water in the Premier League.

That has changed under Moyes. Everton, on a national scale, are well respected and the work that has been done to elevate the club from where they were on March 14, 2002 is to be admired. It would be dangerous to assume that one defeat, however disappointing, means this is the end.

Staying? David Moyes' future is rife with speculation ashe has not signed a new contract

Time will tell how significant losing to Wigan was but it would be folly to accuse Moyes and his players of lacking ambition or effort. Had they not been bothered, the dressing room in the aftermath would not have been a scene of total desolation.

At some point in the not too distant future, Everton will require a job to freshen the squad, similar to the one Moyes conducted seven years ago when he signed Tim Howard, Andrew Johnson and Joleon Lescott.

In the summer of 2006, Duncan Ferguson and Nigel Martyn retired, while an injection of youth was required to play alongside veteran campaigners such as David Weir, Alan Stubbs and Lee Carsley, and bring the best out of Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill and Neville.

A year later, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar were brought in (as was Yakubu) and the smooth transition enabled Everton to play the best football and achieve their most consistent performances.

New blood: Moyes brought in Joleon Lescott from Wolves for around £5m after additional clauses

youth: Andy Johnson was also brought in by Moyes in his attempt to replace older squad players

Between 2007 and 2009, Everton secured back-to-back fifth placed finishes (2008 yielded a return of 65 points, the highest figure obtained by a Moyes side in the Barclays Premier League), as well as appearances in the League Cup semi-final, the FA Cup final and three straight European campaigns.

‘I've always known what I need to do to move it forward here and I've always known what is required,’ Moyes said as he reflected on the Wigan loss. ‘But a lot of those things aren't apparent to people viewing from the outside. They don't always see.

‘As the season goes on, those frailties we have identified do become more apparent and more people begin to notice them. Obviously they are more noticeable after performances like these. But we are quite good at covering them up through the years.

Abject defending: Callum McManaman scores Wigan's second in their win at Goodison Park

‘What we have tended to do in these situations is to bounce back very well. We lost a big game at Wembley last year and came back incredibly well. So I would expect the same from the players now and from me too. We have one thing left (to play for) so I would expect us to give that a good go.’

Talks about Moyes’ future will wait until the end of the campaign but, in the meantime, there is no chance he will simply go through the motions. He is too proud, too ambitious and cares too deeply for Everton to allow that to happen.